Share This Story!

Jets reach conference final for first time in franchise history with Game 7 win at Predators

The Jets, including time spent in Atlanta as the Thrashers, had never been one round away from the Stanley Cup in their prior 17 seasons. The NHL-best Predators see their season end on home ice in Game 7.

Jets reach conference final for first time in franchise history with Game 7 win at Predators

SportsPulse: The Vegas Golden Knights were never supposed to be here in the first place, but now their shot at a title is becoming more realistic than ever. Our NHL insider Kevin Allen on how this team has done the unthinkable.
USA TODAY Sports

Winnipeg Jets center Paul Stastny (25) celebrates after a goal during the first period against the Nashville Predators in Game 7.(Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

The Jets, with a penchant for scoring goals in bunches, may be the scariest offensive team remaining in the playoffs.

Here is why the Jets are so dangerous:

Formidable top line: Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler are dominant most nights. Scheifele is a bullish scoring center, and the speedy Wheeler is a highly skilled play-making winger. Connor, a rookie, has magic in his hands.

Patrik Laine is another Ovechkin: Laine has one of the NHL’s quickest releases. Goalies watch the second-year player set up for the one-timer, but they can’t stop it. He has impressive accuracy for a player who shoots the puck as hard as he does.

Big Buff can bring it: Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien’s shot from the point has been clocked at 101 mph, helping him blast a puck through traffic.

Underrated defensive corps: Nobody talks much about the offensive skill on the Jets' defensive group, but their blue line has registered 10 goals in Winnipeg’s 12 games.

Plenty of offensive depth: Paul Stastny centers the second line and he has 14 points in 12 games — including a three-point night in Game 7. Brandon Tanev, a role player, has four goals. This Winnipeg group is so scary offensively that it is on an amazing pace even though Nikolaj Ehlers, who had 29 goals in the regular season, hasn’t found the net yet in the playoffs.

Explosive tendencies: As the Nashville Predators have learned, the Jets can turn a tight game into a one-sided game in minutes. In Game 3, the Jets were trailing 3-0 in the first period and won 7-4. Every time they score, they grow stronger.

Puck ownership: The Jets can retrieve the puck and hang onto it. They have ranked among the top possession teams in the regular season and playoffs.

Game 6: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury reaches for the puck before San Jose Sharks right wing Kevin Labanc can get to it. Fleury made 28 saves for his fourth shutout of the playoffs.
Stan Szeto, USA TODAY Sports

Game 3: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and center Steven Stamkos lie on top of Boston Bruins center David Krejci while protecting the goal during the third period of Tampa's 4-1 win.
Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports

Game 2: James Shaw Jr., the hero in the recent Waffle House shooting in Tennessee, sits in the stands after being introduced during the first period in the Nashville Predators' game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Shelley Mays, The (Nashville) Tennessean

Game 1: Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) reacts after a goal by Winnipeg Jets center Paul Stastny (second from left) during the second period of a 4-1 loss.
Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (8) kneels on the ice after missing a shot on Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (30) in the first period of a 3-2 loss.
Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

Game 7: Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (88) celebrates with defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) after scoring a goal during the third period of a 7-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports

Game 6: Colorado Avalanche goaltender Andrew Hammond, who dominated the Nashville Predators in Game 5, looked human in a 5-0 loss that sent Nashville to the second round.
Isaiah J. Downing, USA TODAY Sports

Game 5: Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrates after scoring a goal to tie the game during the third period of a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators.
Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 4: Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov looks up after he's knocked to the ice in the third period. Kucherov earlier had knocked Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen out of the game with a hard hit.
Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

Game 4: Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who named a Vezina Trophy finalist earlier in the day, makes one of his 30 saves in a 2-0 victory against the Minnesota Wild.
Brad Rempel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 3: New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider, back, was named No. 2 star in a 5-2 victory against Tampa Bay Lightning. Getting his first start of the playoffs, he made 34 saves for his first win since Dec. 27.
Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Nashville Predators forward Craig Smith (15) celebrates with Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg (9) after a goal during the second period of a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury following their 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, their first playoff win in team history.
Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports